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“Don’t look at me that way.I’m not the only Russian in Baldwin’s Shore.Try starting with Belinsky.”
“That’s where I’m going after I’ve dropped Alex, Ana, and Hallie at the hospital.Which reminds me…” She pulled out her phone and tapped at the screen.“I’d better tell Hallie to stand down.”
“Have you noticed any other Russians in town?”Ana asked.“Apart from Belinsky?”
“Who didn’t move here because of you, by the way,” Emmy added.“He built the resort to get back at his ex’s new beau.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because he told me.”
“And you believed him?What if he lied?”
“He had no reason to.I understand why your default setting is to assume that everyone’s lying, and I’ve been known to fall into that pattern myself, but just occasionally, people tell the truth.”
And sometimes, the truth hurt, especially when it came from Emmy’s lips.I’d been manipulated my whole life, I knew that, and in turn, I’d done the same to others.The truth was a rarity in my world.At least, it had been until I moved to Baldwin’s Shore.
“I’ve met four other Russians here in the last month.Two female tourists who came to the Craft Cabin, a truck driver who delivered an order of embroidery floss, and Boris.But Boris has lived here for longer than I have, and he’s in his late sixties, so whatever you’re investigating, he’s probably not involved.Will you tell me what’s going on?”
When Emmy hesitated, Alex spoke.
“I know why you also find it hard to trust people, but Dasha isn’t the enemy.Take a chance.”
And that… Why was there a fucking lump in my throat?I’d been such a bitch to Alex earlier, and now he was defending me.
Emmy gave me a hard look, but then she sighed.“Ottie Marquette is a scientist.She worked at a defence laboratory in California, and she was involved in developing a really fucked-up weapon.And five weeks ago, both the weapon and Ottie went missing.”
She’d stolen it?No, no, that didn’t make sense.If she’d taken the risk of stealing a weapon, there would have been a buyer waiting with enough money for her to start a new life in a non-extradition country.Unless they’d double-crossed her.She’d been hiding in Baldwin’s Shore, that much was obvious.But if her enemies wanted her dead, why hadn’t they simply killed her?Why search her room?Had she held something back from the deal?Or was she innocent, and they needed her knowledge to operate their new toy?
Whichever, she needed to stay alive.
“You should get your things,” I told Alex.
“Da.”
He followed me into the house, and I closed the door to keep Emmy and Ana out.They’d violated my existence enough already this weekend.Alex’s bag was still in my vehicle, but his jacket and his boots were in the basement.He put the boots on, but when I tried to hand him the jacket, he shook his head.
“Keep it.”
Huh?“Why?”
“A replacement for the one you lost.”He took my hand again and tugged me closer.“I like the idea of you wearing it.”
Then he kissed me.Just a closed-mouth peck, but on the lips rather than the cheek, and I hadn’t been prepared.Hadn’t been prepared for the rush of warmth that would flood through me, or for the backflip my stomach did.
He leaned his forehead against mine.“And Iwillcome back to Oregon.”
“To see me?”
“Don’t have any other reason to visit.”
That stupid lump was back.Alexei.Once, he’d been the only person in my life who cared, even briefly, and he still cared.
“I’d… I’d like that.Do you want me to drive you to the hospital?The craft store doesn’t open until ten.Then Emmy can go straight to Belinsky.”
And I could spend another half hour in his company.
“You don’t mind doing that?”